The police authorities and federal government on Tuesday denied reports that Superintendent Police (SP) Tahir Khan Dawar, who went missing from Islamabad last month, was killed in Afghanistan.

SP Dawar had gone missing from Islamabad on October 27. But speculation over the fate of the missing officer mounted on Tuesday when pictures of a dead body found in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, purportedly that of Dawar, started circulating on social media platforms.

When asked by reporters today, State Minister for Interior Shehryar Afridi declined to comment over the veracity of the social media reports, saying it was a sensitive matter.

"It is a matter of national security and someone's life, and cannot be discussed on an open forum," Afridi said.

He said the government was seriously pursuing the cases of individuals whose loved ones have been missing.

Praying that such an incident may not have taken place, the minister said a fifth generation and cyber war had been imposed on Pakistan.

"Photo-shopped images and fake news are being spread nowadays," he added.

Meanwhile, Inspector General (IG) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Salahuddin Mehsud said they were in touch with the Afghan government through concerned departments.

He said it was not possible to confirm the veracity of these reports at present. However, an official statement would be issued in case of its confirmation, he said.